OSU Track and Field Finishes Day One in California

April 04, 2015 | Cowgirl Cross Country & Track

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Oklahoma State track and field team traveled to the Bay Area, Friday, where All-American Kirubel Erassa completed the 5,000-meter run in 13:45.83, and Ingeborg Loevnes set the OSU women's 3,000-meter steeplechase record in 9:56.30.

Erassa ran in the third heat of the 5,000-meter run and won the section with the fifth fastest time by an NCAA athlete in the event across the four sections. His time is the best time in the Big 12 by more than 30 seconds, and it is fifth-best mark in the NCAA this season.

"Kirubel's PR was good enough to put him in the first section of the race, but we didn't want to strain him," coach Dave Smith said. "Today was about running a smooth race and qualifying for nationals, which he did."

The Cowgirl freshman, Loevnes, broke a 10-year-old school record when she finished the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:56.30, besting the previous record by 11 seconds. Although she finished third in the event, her time is the best in the Big 12 this year and the third-best in the NCAA.

"She absolutely smashed the school record," Smith said. "Usually to qualify for the NCAA's in the steeplechase you need a 10:30 or better, so we couldn't have asked for a better result today."

Seven-time All-American Natalja Piliusina competed in the women's 1,500-meter run and took second in her heat, finishing the race in 4:20.18. Piliusina's time would be the sixth-best time in OSU history, but she currently owns the top time of 4:09.51 that she set on the same track at the 2012 Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational.

"Natalja looked like herself again," Smith said. "I saw that same grit that she had when she won a national championship back in 2013 when she was fighting from fifth to second place in the final lap. It was good to see her out there healthy and smiling again," he said.

Piliusina was kept out of competition for nearly two years due to recurring injuries following her 1,500-meter NCAA championship in 2013. She competed in two meets in the 2015 indoor season and has run in two meets in the outdoor season, so far.

Her time is the third-best time in the NCAA this season and the best time in the Big 12 in 2015.

Also in the women's 1,500-meter run, Anna Boyert's time of 4:24.07 was a new career best and the third-fastest time in the Big 12 this season.

In San Francisco at the San Francisco State Distance Carnival, Natalie Baker improved her personal best in the 5,000-meter run by almost one minute when she finished 10th in the race with a time of 16:54.62.

Friday was a big day for OSU and the competition continues Saturday at both meets as the Cowboys will run in just the Stanford Invitational and the Cowgirls will run in the Stanford Invitational and SF State Distance Carnival.

San Francisco State Distance Carnival :: San Francisco :: Cox Stadium

Women's

5000 Meter Run
10. Natalie Baker -- 16:54.62
11. Emily Helms -- 17:20.81

Stanford Invitational :: Palo Alto, Calif. :: Cobb Track at Angell Field

Men's

5000 Meter Run
Kirubel Erassa -- 13:45.83
Craig Nowak -- 14:06.35
Luis Martinez -- 14:27.53

1500 Meter Run
Shane Moskowitz -- 3:46.81
Justin Vilhauer -- 3:47.77
Brigham Hedges -- 3:51.35

3000 Meter Steeplechase
Anthoney Armstrong -- 9:06.70

Women's

1500 Meter Run
Natalja Piliusina -- 4:20.18
Caileigh Glenn -- 4:23.90
Anna Boyert -- 4:24.07
Aurora Dybedokken -- 4:26.15
Abbie Hetherington -- 4:29.26

3000 Meter Steeplechase
Ingeborg Loevnes -- 9:56.30